Smoking in private vehicles carrying children [Inforgraphic]

Posted on February 27th 2015 by Peter. Updated on: April 16th 2015.

You see drivers and passengers every day that smoke with their kids in the car, mostly unaware of the effects of second-hand smoke on the younger passengers in the vehicle. It’s easy to see how some would think that having windows open to allow smoke to escape or by hanging your cigarette out of the window that the child in the back of the car is safe from harm.

That’s why we would like to help promote a new no smoking legislation to raise awareness of the dangers and possible punishments if caught.

Following a similar ban in Wales, you will be banned from smoking while travelling in a vehicle with children. The ban will become law on 1st October 2015 and its sole purpose is to protect under 18 year olds from second-hand smoke.

It won’t affect you if you travel alone or you drive a convertible car with the top down, it’ll only affect you in you are travelling with one or more under 18.

Many drivers are supporting the ban, but there are some that are saying a ban on smoking in these situations is ‘unnecessary intrusion’. After all it’s your vehicle. Most smokers will know that it’s inconsiderate to smoke in the car with their children and will think the new law is unrequired, feeling that the government is micro-managing them.

But no matter what your stance is, anyone that is found to been going against the ban will be fined £50 without question.

The ban was passed by 342 MPs that voted in favour of the new legislation. Only a small number of 74 MPs voted against it in the Commons.

This is a great step forward as we have a huge duty to protect our children from the harms of second-hand smoke. Especially as research shows that many children feel frightened to ask adults to stop smoking around them, which is why legislation such as this helps protect them.

We have now added two new signs to our ecommerce store to help promote this new legislation.

The signs are available in rigid plastic or self-adhesive vinyl options and can be ordered right now on the main Workplace Products website.

Further info on passive smoking

• Even with a window open, smoke can stay in the air for up to two and a half hours – especially in enclosed spaces such as cars.
• Some of the chemicals in second-hand smoke are known to cause cancer .
• Strongly linked to chest infections, asthma, ear problems and cot death.
• Similar bans already exist in some US states such as California, and also in parts of Canada and Australia.